New Delhi: There is an urgent need to reorient the dental services in India and improve overall oral health status of the masses through awareness campaigns, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said Monday.

"Oral health is an integral component of overall health and well-being. Dental diseases are preventable in nature and lack of awareness and neglect has led to its proliferation.

He also laid the foundation stone of the Phase-II of Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS) and said these new facilities and specialties will not only aid in reducing the burden of dental diseases but will also help to promote oral health.

"Research and development are the backbone of any organization. The Institute should aspire and meet the current demands and render cost effective treatment strategies," he said.

Union Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan, who was also present on the occasion, said the growth of health sector in India has been tremendous and a lot of transition has occurred in health-care facilities, manpower, burden of diseases and use of information and communication technology.

"There is need to understand the relevance of technology and nurture the need for technological advancements. The need of the hour is healthcare innovation, sustainable growth and result oriented efforts to reduce the burden of disease. Dentistry is also influenced and depends on technological advancements like any other profession, he said.

There is an incredible growth of dental manufacturing industry in India, Vardhan said and highlighted the efforts of MAIDS in designing and manufacture of indigenous dental implants which would "bring down the cost of treatment by half".

Phase II building of MAIDS will have newer research facilities like forensic dentistry, comprehensive dentistry, advanced research laboratories, radiological services and also widen the scope of maxillofacial surgery services through state of the art operatories, wards and support facilities.